Didactic fiction; Domestic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
Booth went this morning to pay a second visit to the colonel, where
he found Colonel James. Both the colonel and the lieutenant appeared a
little shocked at their first meeting, but matters were soon cleared up;
for the former presently advanced to the latter, shook him heartily
by the hand, and said, “Mr. Booth, I am ashamed to see you; for I
have injured you, and I heartily ask your pardon. I am now perfectly
convinced that what I hinted to my brother, and which I find had like to
have produced such fatal consequences, was entirely groundless. If
you will be contented with my asking your pardon, and spare me the
disagreeable remembrance of what led me into my error, I shall esteem it
as the highest obligation.”
Booth answered, “As to what regards yourself, my dear colonel, I am
abundantly satisfied; but, as I am convinced some rascal hath been my
enemy with you in the cruellest manner, I hope you will not deny me the
opportunity of kicking him through the world.”
“By all the dignity of man,” cries Colonel Bath, “the boy speaks with
spirit, and his request is reasonable.”
Colonel James hesitated a moment, and then whispered Booth that he would
give him all the satisfaction imaginable concerning the whole affair
when they were alone together; upon which, Booth addressing himself to
Colonel Bath, the discourse turned on other matters during the remainder
of the visit, which was but short, and then both went away together,
leaving Colonel Bath as well as it was possible to expect, more to the
satisfaction of Booth than of Colonel James, who would not have been
displeased if his wound had been more dangerous; for he was grown
somewhat weary of a disposition that he rather called captious than
heroic, and which, as he every day more and more hated his wife, he
apprehended might some time or other give him some trouble; for Bath was
the most affectionate of brothers, and had often swore, in the presence
of James, that he would eat any man alive who should use his sister ill.
Colonel Bath was well satisfied that his brother and the lieutenant were
gone out with a design of tilting, from which he offered not a syllable
to dissuade them, as he was convinced it was right, and that Booth could
not in honour take, nor the colonel give, any less satisfaction. When
they had been gone therefore about half an hour, he rang his bell
to enquire if there was any news of his brother; a question which he
repeated every ten minutes for the space of two hours, when, having
heard nothing of him, he began to conclude that both were killed on the
spot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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